AVO reported that a minor eruption at a vent on Pavlof’s upper E flank was ongoing during 6-13 September. Seismic tremor persisted. Weather clouds often prevented views of the volcano during the first part of the week, though one clear webcam view on 8 September showed a minor emission of ash or steam. Elevated surface temperatures were identified in satellite images during 10-12 September. A diffuse steam plume and new trace deposits of ash were visible in webcam images on 11 September. The Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch and the Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.

Geological Summary. The most active volcano of the Aleutian arc, Pavlof is a Holocene stratovolcano that was constructed along a line of vents extending NE from the Emmons Lake caldera. Pavlof and Pavlof Sister to the NE form a dramatic pair of symmetrical, glacier-covered stratovolcanoes that overlook Pavlof and Volcano bays. Little Pavlof is a smaller cone on the SW flank of Pavlof volcano, near the rim of Emmons Lake caldera. Unlike Pavlof Sister, eruptions have frequently been reported from Pavlof, typically Strombolian to Vulcanian explosive eruptions from the summit vents and occasional lava flows. The active vents lie near the summit on the north and east sides. The largest recorded eruption took place in 1911, at the end of a 5-year-long eruptive episode, when a fissure opened on the N flank, ejecting large blocks and issuing lava flows.

Source: US Geological Survey Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO)